Permutation lock



April 20, 1937; E. B. STONE ET AL 2,078,168

PERMUTATION LOCK Filed Feb. 2, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 20, 1937. E. B. STONE ET AL PERMUTATION LOCK 2 Sheehs-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1935 HHHH Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PERMUTATION LOCK Elmer B. Stone and Louis M. Dyson, New Britain, Conn, assignor to The American Hardware Corporation, New Britain, O0nn., a corporation of Connecticut Application February 2, 1935, Serial No. 4,680

14 Claims.

Our invention relates to that class of locks embodying a dial or similar means for locating members of a set of tumblers in proper position to permit release of a locking member, and an object of the invention, among others, is the production of a lock of this type that shall be simple in construction, particularly efficient in operation, and one having means for automatically disarranging the tumblers in the operation of the lock. Another object of the invention is to provide means for multiplying the rate of rotating movement of the tumblers as compared with that of the dial so that a partial rotation only of the latter will be required to effect one or more complete rotations of each of the tumblers. A further object of the invention is to provide means for determining the proper position of the tumblers to release the locking member when the combination is not known such means being accessible only to authorized persons. Another object is to provide an improved means for efiecting proper positioning of the tumblers by the sense of feeling in the use of the dial.

One form of a device embodying our invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front view of our improved lock.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the same.

Figure 3 is a view looking at the opposite edge from that shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a face view of the lock case illustrating the locking mechanism in dotted lines.

Figure 6 is a view of the interior of the lock case showing mechanism therein and with parts broken away to illustrate construction.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but with Figure 13 is another similar view with more parts added.

Figure 14 is still another similar view with still more parts added and with parts broken away to show construction.

Figure 15 is a detail View in cross section on a plane denoted by the dotted line |5--l5 of Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral I2 denotes a base plate which may be the door of a locker or other similar part to which the lock case is secured and I3 denotes the back plate of the dial mechanism which plate is secured to the base plate in any suitable manner, as by means of screw threaded studs l4 and nuts applied thereto, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9 of the drawings. The back plate has an extension l5 at one side upon which an index point I6 appears and a recess I! extends radially in said plate to receive a case II which contains a plunger l8 and a plunger actuating spring l9 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The dial 211 is set into a dial recess 2| in the back plate l3, said dial having an actuating knob 22 projecting from its front face with a cylinder recess 23 located in said knob to receive a cylinder or plug 24 of any ordinary type, said plug having a key slot 25 to receive a key as a means for releasing tumblers (not shown) to permit rotation of the cylinder or plug by means of the key in a manner that will be readily understood and for which reason a more detailed description is omitted herein, a dial fastening disk 26 being carried by the plug 24 for rotation thereby and said disk is cut away on one side, as at 21, to release it from the head 28 of a dial fastening stud secured to and projecting from the front face of the back plate I3, and as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings. When thus released the dial 20 may be readily removed for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

A set of frictional retaining recesses 29 is formed in the peripheral edge of the dial 20 to receive a feeler 30 which is constituted by the end of the plunger l8, the dial being thus frictionally held from rotation, but such rotation being permitted by the application of a little force to the knob 22. The dial is provided on its face with graduation marks 3| operating in connection with the index point Hi to mark the position of the dial, particularly with reference to tumblers to be hereinafter described and in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. The starting position of the dial being determined the amount of rotation of the dial in opposite directions to position the tumblers in unlocking positions may be readily determined by feeling, each time the feeler enters a notch the movement of the dial to the extent of registering the next graduation mark with the point I6 being effected, and this is readily detected by the slight resistvance to movement of the dial when the feeler enters the notches.

A lock case 32 is secured to the back face of the base plate or door l2, this case containing the lock mechanism proper, such mechanism com prising a locking member, as a locking bolt 33, projecting through one edge of the case and adapted to engage a fastening member in a manner to be hereinafter described; This locking bolt is pivotally mounted in the case upon a pivot 36 and has a hook which is engaged by a latch closing spring 35 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. An arcuate slot 36 is formed through the locking bolt to receive a key barrel 3'! rotatably mounted in,

the front and back walls of the case 32 and having a key slot for the reception of a key to operate a set of leaf tumblers 38 pivotally mounted side by side in a manner well known and having gatings 39 for the reception of a lug 40 on a dogging plate 4! slidably mounted in the lock case and having a notch 42. to receive a bitting of a key in a manner that will be readily understood.

When a key in the slot in the barrel 3'! is rotated the bittings on the key will engage the tumblers 38 to move them so that the gating 39 will be simultaneously located opposite the lug 33. At the same time a hitting on the key enters the notch 42 and moves the dogging plate ii backwardly, the lug 4E! entering the gatings 35 when said plate is thus moved. This movement of the dogging plate frees the latch 33 for movement in a manner and by means to be hereinafter described. The key supporting mechanism for operation of the dogging plate il comprises a cylindrical bearing 53 projecting from a plate l l secured within the lock case said bearing containing the key plug 3'! having a slot to receive the key for operating said plate in a manner that will be readily understood.

A set of tumblers 36 is rotatably mounted upon the bearing 43 these tumblers being of a construction common to permutation locks with spacers between them and with interengaging projections whereby one tumbler after a certain degree of movement is engaged with another tumbler to operate it until all of the gatings in the peripheries of the tumblers are brought into registry to release a locking member in a manner that will be readily understood and for which reason a more detailed description is omitted herein. The main tumbler 4'! has a hub 48 having recesses in its edge for the reception of projections from the hub d9 of a pinion 50 all mounted upon the bearing 43. The tumbler 4'! and the pinion 59 are thus interlocked butin a manner to permit free disengagement of the interlocking parts. The teeth of the pinion 50 mesh with teeth 5| formed inside of a flange 52 projecting from the back face of the dial 2% whereby rotation of said pinion and the tumblers will be effected by rotating movement of the dial.

It will be noted that the pinion and the gear 5| provide a multiplying geared connection between the dial and the tumblers so that a movement of the dial through a small arc of a circle will effect a number of rotations of the tumblers sufficient to bring the gatings into registry, in the arrangement herein shown at least three complete 7 1rotations being required for the back tumbler, at

least two complete rotations for the mtermecuate tumbler, and at least one complete rotation for the main tumbler 41. In prior locks of this type this rotation of the tumblers has required the same number of rotations of the dial 20 in opposite directions as is well known. By use of the arrangement herein the dial 2!) is moved back and forth and a complete rotation thereof is not required to effect the rotations of the tumblers above described, and the operation of the tumblers is therefore much simplified owing to the little movement required of the dial and the time saved in consequence thereof.

The locking bolt 33 is provided with a latch detent 53 which is pivotally mounted on said bolt and has a fence that projects therefrom in position to be received within the gatings in the tumblers 46 hereinbefore described. A stop 54 projects from an over-arched portion 55 of the dogging latch 45, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings, this stop lying in the path of movement of the locking bolt 53 or of the fence thereon thereby dogging movement of the bolt 33 upon which said detent is mounted. When, however, in the operation of the dial 28, the gatings in the tumblers are caused to register the detent 53 will drop into the gatings and will therefore lie below the stop 54 and permit the bolt 33 to be operated in a manner shortly to be described, the detent therefore acting as a controlling device for the bolt 33.

A detent spring 6! is secured at one end in a slot in the detent as shown in Fig. 13, the opposite end of the spring being free in the normal locked condition of the parts. As the bolt is moved backwardly, rotating the tumblers in such movement, the free end of the spring 6| makes contact with a spring compressing element 62 which is a round projection from the upper edge of the plate 44 and which projection is flush with the edge of a spacer 63 lying next to said plate and supported on the bearing or cylinder 43.

When the bolt is lifted and the detent is moved backwardly it passes underneath the stop 54 and the spring 6! makes contact with the edge of the element 62 and the spacer 63, thereby tensioning the spring which presses the detent into contact with the under side of the stop, the tension of the spring being increased until the detent passes said stop when the detent is lifted by the reaction of the spring sufficiently to cause the detent and the fence thereon to pass over the top of the stop as the latch is moved in the opposite direction. After passing the stop the detent will drop and place the fence in contact with the peripheries of the tumblers, the tension of the spring having been released upon disengagement of the detent from the stop 54 and the spring therefore no longer exerting any pressure upon the detent.

It will be noted that in the rotation of the tumblers by the detent the gatings of the tumblers are left in the position occupied when the fence and the detent left the gatings and the tumblers are therefore so disarranged that unlocking action cannot again be had without manipulation of the dial 243.

This is a material feature of the invention which causes the tumblers to be automatically disarranged, and there is therefore no requirement for a manipulation of the dial to effect this purpose, the locking of the parts being automatically effected at the end of the unlocking operation.

As a means for determining the combination of the lock, should the combination have been forgotten, we provide each of the tumblers with a positioning notch 6 so relatively located with respect to the gating in the tumbler that when the positioning notches are in registry the gatings in the tumblers will also be registered. In connection with these notches a positioning implement is employed which is inserted through holes 65 in a block 56 secured to the casing and projecting inwardly thereof. Such-instrument being inserted through a hole in line with the back tumbler the dial 2t; may be operated until the notch in such tumbler is brought opposite the end of the instrument. This may be told by the sense of feeling, pressure on the instrument causing the tool to enter the notch. The reading on the dial may then be taken as the position for the back orfirst tumbler. The second tumbler may then be positioned in the same manner and the reading of the dial taken, and the third or front tumbler is then operated in the same manner and the reading of the dial taken.

It will be noted that the block 65 is located Within the lock in such manner that unauthorized use of it is prevented.

Access by a key to the barrel at is through a hole El in the dial 223, as shown in Figure i.

It should now have been noted that in the operation of the dogging plate 4! by a key in the barrel i5 as hereinbefore described the stop 5 3 is moved away from the locking bolt detent 53 thereby releasing the bolt and permitting it to be operated for unlocking purposes, the gatings in the tumblers at this time being in looking position and therefore unengageable with the detent 53'.

In the arrangement herein shown the bolt 33 is adapted to engage an opening in a locker fastening member 56 mounted for sliding movement on the inner face of a door or similar structure IE to which the locking mechanism herein described is attached, said fastening member being adapted to engage a keeper 58 projecting from a door frame 59.

The bolt 33 normally holds the door fastening member 55 from operation so that said member locks the door against opening movement. When, however, the bolt 33 is released then the fastening member 5fin1ay be operated to release the door, this release of the said bolt being accomplished by means of a key or by means of the dial as hereinbefore described. When the member 56 is moved to unlocking position a spring actuated retaining detent (iii within the fastening member passes into an opening in the door thereby retaining said member in its unlocking position. When,

however, the door is closed the nose of the keeper 58 engages the detent 6i] and presses it from engagement with its opening thereby permitting the door fastening member 5i to be moved into looking position. The member 56 may be manually operated as by a knob 5'! to release the door.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes we have described the principles of operation of our invention, together with the device which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but we desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

We claim:

1. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a locking bolt controlling device operatively connected with said locking bolt to control its movements and having a fence, means engageable with said controlling device to prevent its movement, a movably mounted tumbler having a gating to receive said fence for movement of the tumbler thereby to locking position, means for removing said fence from said gating to permit locking movement of the locking bolt independently of said tumbler, and means for operating said tumbler.

2. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a locking bolt controlling device operatively connected with said locking bolt to control its movements. and having a fence, means engageable with said controlling device to prevent its movement, a

rotatably mounted tumbler having a gating to receive said fence for movement of the tumbler to locking position, means for removing Said fencefrom said gating to permit locking movement of the locking bolt independently of said tumblen;

and means for operating said tumbler.

3. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a detent carried by said bolt and having .a fence,

means to prevent movement of said detent, a

movably mounted tumbler having a gating to receive said fence for movement of the tumbler to locking position, means for removing said fence from said gating to permit locking movement .of the locking bolt independently of said tumbler, and means for operating said tumbler.

4. A permutation lock including a pivotally mounted locking bolt, a detent pivotally mounted on said bolt and having a fence, means to pre vent movement of said detent, a rotatably mounted tumbler having a gate to receive said fence for movement of the tumbler to locking position, means for removing said fence from said gating to permit locking movement of the bolt independently of said tumbler, and means for operating said tumbler.

5. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a detent carried by said bolt and having a fence, means to prevent movement of said detent, a rotatably mounted tumbler having a gating to receive said fence for movement of the tumbler to locking position, means for removing said fence from said gating, means to retain said fence in its removed position to permit locking movement of the locking bolt independently of said tumbler, and means for operating said. tumbler.

6. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a detent movably mounted on said bolt and having a fence, means to dog movement of said detent, at rotatably mounted tumbler having a gating to receive said fence for movement of the tumbler thereby to locking position and for movement of said detent underneath said dogging means, means for removing said fence from said gating to effect movement of the fence over said dogging means, and means for operating said tumbler.

7. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a normally inactive detent movably mounted on said bolt and having a fence, means to dog movement of said detent, a spring secured to said detent and movable therewith, a movably mounted tumbler having a gating to receive said fence for movement of the tumbler thereby to. locking position, means for tensioning said spring during movement of the detent to create force to remove said fence from said gating, and means for operating said tumbler.

8. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a locking bolt controlling device operatively connected with said locking bolt to control its movements and having a fence, a dogging plate having a lug to prevent movement of said controlling device, means to receive said fence to permit movement of said controlling device in one direc-- tion underneath said lug, and means for raising said controlling device for passage of said fence 5;. in the opposite direction of said lug.

9. A permutation lock including a locking bolt movable for locking and releasable engagement with a cooperating member, a locking bolt controlling device operatively connected with said lo locking bolt to control its movement andhaving a fence, a dogging plate having a stop to prevent movement of said controlling device, and means to receive said fence to permit operation of said controlling device to pass said fence under and 5 over said, stop in movements of said controlling device in opposite directions. I

. 10. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a detent pivotally mounted on said bolt and having a fence, means for dogging movement of said 20 detent, a normally inactive spring secured to said detent and projecting therefrom, a tumbler having a gating to receive said fence, means engageable with said spring to tension the latter by reason of its movement to create force therein to operate 5;said detent, means to retain said fence in said gating during the tensioning of said spring but releasable to permit movement of the fence from said gating, and means for operating said tumbler.

30 11. A permutation lock including a locking bolt movable for locking and releasable engagement with a cooperating device, a detent movably mounted on said bolt and having a fence, means to dog the movement of said detent, a spring se- 35 cured to said detent and movable therewith, a

movably mounted tumbler having a gating to receive said fence for movement of the tumbler thereby to locking position, means for tensioning said spring during the movement of the detent to remove said fence from said gating, and means for operating said tumbler.

12. A permutation lock including a bolt movable for locking and releasable engagement with a cooperating device, a detent pivotall; mounted on said bolt and having a fence, means for dogging movement of said detent, a spring secured to said detent and projecting therefrom, a tumbler having a gating to receive said fence, means engageable with said spring to tension the latter in its movement, means to retain said fence in said gating during the tensioning of said spring but releasable to permit movement of the fence from said gating, and means for operating said tumbler.

13. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a set of tumblers having gatings, a dial for operating said tumblers, and means carried by said bolt to enter said gatings and move the tumblers from unlocking position in the unlocking movement of said dial.

1%. A permutation lock including a locking bolt, a set of tumblers having gatings, a dial for operating said tumblers, a detent carried by said bolt and having a fence to enter said gatings to move the tumblers from unlocking position in the unlocking movement of the bolt, and means to receive said fence and retain it from engagement with said gatings in the locking movement of the bolt.

ELMER B. STONE. LOUIS M. DYSON. 

